Taming of the Beast
by thedraconicwerewolf
Summary: Yuna is a young girl who lives with her father in the small town of Besaid. Each day is similar, and the townsfolk are very traditional. Many want to see her married, but she ignores it and waits for the one who she can understand and whom understands her in return. But since she lives in such a traditional town, perhaps she can only find love in the most unconventional of places.


Hello everybody! This is a new story that I've suddenly come up with. Actually, it was more that I was inspired to write it after watching the movie my idea was based on. I'm not going to say what it is, though. I'll say it after I'm done with the first chapter, and that will be the next one since this is just the prologue. And yes, this was meant to be a short chapter since it's just a basic prologue that builds up to the story.

The reason why I'm withholding the movie inspiration is so that you as the reader won't be having some predetermined thoughts of my story and how you think it should be changed to adhere to the movie this is loosely based on. As such, it's my way of inciting from you an honest review not marred by some preordained thoughts.

However, I will say that this story is based off of Final Fantasy X. I had just finished playing that game on my PS Vita last night, so using the characters for this story was what came to mind. It'll be my first attempt at a chapter-style of a romance story, so please don't bash me too hard if it doesn't come out that well in the future. I'm more of an action/mystery writer, but I wanted to try my hand at the simple romance stuff.

Also, I will warn that this story is going to be an Alternate Universe (AU). As such, please do not try to correct me about the actual geography of Spira. It's at the very beginning, so I'm going to say it now. I know that Besaid is nowhere near Bevelle and the Macalania Forest. However, I want it to be that way since the story will start in a small town with the forest being part of the main setting. A few other things and characters are going to be different, so please don't continue reading if you're one of those purists who insist on everything having to be the same as their video game counterparts. Just a friendly warning since I know there are people out there who just plain hate AU stories no matter how good or bad it's written.

Now that I have all that out of the way, I'll let you get on with the reading. That and I don't want my author's note being as long or longer than the actual story prologue. Please don't forget to leave a review telling me what you think about this story so far and if the prologue has managed to capture your attention. And for those who have read my Zelda fanfic, I'm not abandoning it. That piece will be at work when I go back to school. This story now is more of a break-time story when I'm not at school or work. Until the next update to this or any of my other stories on here!

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**Prologue**

Near the wide plains of the Calm Lands stood a forest that glowed a beautiful yet chilly blue. It was known to the locals as the Macalania Forest, a densely wooded area that even the most seasoned of adventurers dared to travel off the beaten path. The fiends that resided there had free roam over the area. Man of them were known to mercilessly attack anything that dared to trespass into their territory regardless of the level of actual threat. Yet despite their fearsome territorial behavior, even they knew best to avoid the routes most travelled by people lest they wanted to be run through by an armed man.

Because of the ferocious fiends, only the path that led from Besaid to Bevelle was left open for travelling. At the same time, all the areas that were avoided quickly became lost to history and topic to the local rumor mills. One such piece of knowledge that had morphed to but a rumor was that of a mansion that resided deep within the forest.

Long ago, this mansion was home to an affluent family. The husband was a well-known swordsman who even the forest fiends feared to approach. Not much was known about the wife except that she seemed to be an avid reader. The mansion was never host to visitors, so nobody ever really had a concrete idea as to what the place was like. Only the hired hands from there were ever seen in either of the towns, and they hardly spoke a word pertaining to the two. Still, their appearances were so routine that many paid little notice.

It was when only one member of the mansion servants came to town dressed in somber clothing did the townspeople begin to spread rumors like wildfire. Just as before, the servant said nothing yet only came to purchase a bundle of flowers. From the arrangement bought and the fact that the mansion help was never seen again, many assumed that the owners had passed on. Few had dared to make the trek to the mansion themselves to see if it was true. None ever returned. Since then, all had accepted the rumor that they were dead and let what little they knew of the mansion fade into distant memory.

As the years passed, the fiends slowly grew fiercer and expanded their territory. Even simply travelling on the main path proved to be perilous. Reports of attacks within the forest quickly increased in number. The ferocity of the attacks grew as travelers unintentionally stumble into fiend territory that was once believed to be safe. Clearly, the mansion residents had played some role in controlling the fiend population; it was never so bad when the servants made their daily village rounds. Now that they had all seemingly disappeared, the fiends were expanding their territory.

However, mixed into the reports of fiend attacks was the occasional man claiming to have been attacked by a person. These people often appeared sporting wounds akin to that of sword slashes. All claimed that it was a beastly man wielding a frightening blade who attacked when they strayed from the main path. At the same time, they all were unable to get a look at their assailant save for the mess of blond hair and piercing blue eyes that held little emotion in them. Rumors began to spread of a ghost from the mansion attacking all who dared to wander near the premises. While unsubstantiated, it served to further deter any ideas of exploring the unknowns of Macalania Forest.

It had been a couple of years since the last report of the mysterious figure attacking wayward travelers in the woods. Nobody was ever able to figure out whether or not a ghost was truly responsible, and none dared to try. Villagers and travelers alike merely went about their business as normal except for the increased fear of the forest. The mansion had long since been forgotten and buried under the growing concerns of vicious fiends. Only the rumors and stories meant to scare little children kept its existence alive. This continued on until one fateful day that would forever change a beautiful young girl's provincial life…


End file.
